The present disclosure relates to an imaging apparatus and a control method of the imaging apparatus, and more particularly, an imaging apparatus which measures a distance to an object to be photographed, and a control method of the imaging apparatus.
An imaging apparatus has a function of automatically adjusting a focus, a so-called AF (Auto Focus) function, in many cases. Schemes of measuring a distance in the AF function are classified into an active scheme and a passive scheme. According to the active scheme, infrared rays or supersonic waves are irradiated onto an object to be photographed, and the distance is measured based on a time and an irradiation angle until a reflected wave is returned after the irradiation. Meanwhile, according to the passive scheme, photometry of the brightness of an object to be photographed is performed to detect a phase difference or contrast, so that the distance is measured. In the case of using the passive scheme, since it is difficult to detect a phase difference or contrast in a dark place, an imaging apparatus has a light source for irradiating light called auxiliary light onto an object to be photographed in many cases.
Here, in an imaging apparatus driven by a battery, in order to ensure a long operation time, there has been an increased demand for reducing the amount of power consumption of the imaging apparatus. In this regard, an imaging apparatus which changes the number of light emitting bodies to be turned on according to a photographing angle of view or a photographing distance when a light source of auxiliary light is provided with the plurality of light emitting elements, thereby suppressing the amount of power consumption, has been proposed (for example, see JP 2006-126611A). In detail, the imaging apparatus is controlled such that the number of light emitting bodies to be turned on is reduced as the photographing angle of view becomes small. Furthermore, the imaging apparatus is controlled such that the number of light emitting bodies to be turned on is reduced as the photographing distance is short.